Friday Blog: SQ1 Superfriend of the Month!

Sunset Foods is a neighborhood supermarket dedicated to providing the finest customer service. They are small enough to get to know you and large enough to stock an outstanding selection of food, liquor, floral and other items at competitive prices. Thyme in the Kitchen is the in-house cooking school program offered at Sunset Foods to educate and entertain you on a variety of culinary topics. Their friendly, competent staff work hard to make shopping and cooking at Sunset Foods a pleasurable experience!

Download the February calandar here and post it to your fridge. Thyme in the Kitchen has some great events coming up that you don’t want to miss!

We were thrilled to sit down with Director and Instructor of Thyme in the Kitchen, Mary Kay Gill for an exclusive SQ1 interview. Check it out below!

Mary Kay, tell us a little bit about how and why did you came to your current position at Thyme in the Kitchen at Sunset Foods?
I was a Sunset Foods customer for many years because of their strong emphasis on outstanding service and quality. I went to Kendall College to receive culinary training for my “encore” career as an instructor for home chefs and enthusiasts. It was a perfect place to share my passion, deliver the Sunset customer attention I received through the years and showcase the broad array of products available in the store.

How has working with Thyme in the Kitchen and Sunset Foods impacted your life and what about your job brings you the most joy?
I love the collaborative learning environment that we create in the cooking studio. We help customers feel more at ease with the cooking process and trying new foods and flavors. I am inspired to learn more through their questions and experiences.

What’s the one thing that you now know that you wish you knew when you were growing up?
“A’s” are highly overrated in the grand scheme of life. “Good enough” really just fine and more enjoyable.

What is the best advice anyone has ever given you?
Treat others as you would like to be treated.

What is your biggest accomplishment?
My biggest recent accomplishment is the initiative and courage it took to reinvent my career in my forties. I applied skills learned in culinary school and developed in my previous work experience to build the Thyme in the Kitchen cooking program at Sunset Foods. In the process, I am growing as a person and being a strong role model for my kids.

If you could say something to the next generation what would it be?
Life is a journey with unexpected bends and curves. Be open to the growth that comes through challenges and try to enjoy each day.